The University of Nebraska Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation that has provided financial support for the University of Nebraska since 1936. The foundation bridges relationships with alumni, friends, corporations and other foundations interested in a high-quality, affordable public university for Nebraska. Private support is vital to the university’s success in areas such as student scholarships, faculty fellowships and endowed chairs, academic programs, new or renovated facilities, athletics, research programs, museums and libraries.

In 2009, the university announced its largest comprehensive campaign in history, the Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities. The campaign set out to raise $1.2 billion for critical university initiatives including financial aid, faculty support, global engagement, agriculture and life sciences, information technology and business, cancer care and research, architectural engineering and construction, water for food, and early childhood education.

Ahead of the campaign’s end on Dec. 31, 2014, the university announced gifts to the Campaign for Nebraska had gone beyond $1.8 billion—50 percent more than the $1.2 billion goal set for the campaign that began in 2005. More than 97,000 people and organizations gave during the campaign, more than half of whom were first-time donors to the university.

Students, who are the lifeblood of any university, have been an important focus of this campaign, and more than $265 million has been generously given for scholarship support, including permanently endowed funds providing annual scholarship awards.

The success of Campaign for Nebraska comes with consecutive record-breaking years for private giving to the University of Nebraska. Alumni, friends and organizations gave a record $258.1 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, representing a 9 percent increase from the record of $236.7 million given in 2013. These funds were directed by donors to support all areas of the university system.